Tongue-guard for shoes.



PatentedAug. 22, |899.

H. M. STEVENSN.

TONGUE GUARD FOR SHOES.

{Applcntion led- Nov. 12, 1898.)

No Model.)

FIG

- of the foot and shoe along the line of the UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

HENRY M. STEVENSO, OF BARNET, VERMONT.

TONGUE-G UAR D FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 631,595, dated August22, 1899. Application led November 12, 1898. Serial No. 696,291. (Nmodel- To atl whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. STEvENsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Barnet, in the county of Caledonia and State ofVermont, have invented certain new an useful Improvements inTongue-Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is designed for the production of what may be termed atongue-guard for assisting in the lacing of shoes, the object of thesame being to provide a device which may'A be inserted between thetongue and the meeting edges of the upper for the purpose of preventingthe wrinkling of the tongue during the lacing operation and which may beafterward readily removed.

The invention consists of a flexible plate having a broadbearing-surface and converging side edges.

More specifically the invention consists of a plate having its outersurface convex and its inner surface concave, the same bein g madeiiexible by cutting slots in the sides thereof, which formlaterally-extending L -shaped wings or arms providing a broadbearing-surface for the plate upon the tongue.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1represents a perspective view of a shoe partly laced up with myimprovedtongue-guard shown in place between the tongue and the meeting edges ofthe upper. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the guard detached. Fig. 3 isa cross-section of the sam e.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

My improved guard is made up of a thin metallic plate 1, benttransversely, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so as to make itsouter surface convex and its under surface concave. It is also bentlongitudinally, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, for the purpose ofenabling the same to fit the curvature meeting edges of the upper,through which the lacing-strings pass. The side edges of the plateconverge from the upper or rear end thereof and have cut in themirregularlyshaped slots 2 2, which form laterally-extending L-shapedwings 3 3. The upper or rear end of the plateis extended and then bentforwardly upon itself, forming a handle or finger-engaging portion 4. Bythe provisionof the slots 2 2, which extend inwardly from the oppositeside edges of the plate, the said plate is made extremely flexible, sothat it may be readily bent to fit the curvature of the foot, and thelaterally-extending wings 3 3 form a broad bearing-surface for the plateupon the tongue of the shoe.

In using my improved guard the same is placed between the upper or outersurface of the tongue of the shoe and the inner or lower surface of theupper adjacent to the meeting edges thereof. The lacing operation isthen performed in the usual manner, with the plate left in the positionin which it was placed. Whenthe lacing has been completed, the plate maybe readily removed by gripping the same by the finger-engaging portion 4and drawing upwardly thereon, the converging side edges of said platepermitting the same to slide freely from its position. When in place inthe shoe, the plate prevents the wrinkling of the tongue, and thedisagreeable and often .painful feeling of the wrinkled tongue againstthe foot is avoided. Furthermore, the shoe may be more neatly laced.

Having now described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- Y l. A tongue-guard, consisting of atransversely-flexible plate having its side edges converging toward itslower end.

2. A tongue-guard consisting of a flexible plate capable of being bentalong transverse lines and having converging side edges, and afinger-engaging portion at its rear end.

3. A tongue-guard consisting of a iiexible plate concave-convex incross-section and constructed so that it may be bent along transverselines.

4. Atongue-guard consisting of a plate having slots therein forming sidewings.

5. Atongue-guard consisting of a plate having slots extending from theopposite side edges thereof inwardly, forming laterally-extending wings,the said slots giving flexibility to the plate and the said wingsforming a broad bearing-surface therefor. f Y

6. A tongue-guard consisting of a plate having slots extending inwardlyfrom the oppo- IOO lo posite side edges, forming laterally-extendingL-shaped Wings, and having a finger-engaging portion at its upper end,the said slots giving flexibility to the plate an d the said wingsformin g a broad bearing-surface therefor.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature I5 in'presenee of twowitnesses.

HENRY M. STEVENSON.

' Vltnesses:

MATTHEW GIBSON, THOMAS STEvENsoN.

